


Love like GWAAH!

by RussianSunflower3



Series: Requests from Tumblr! [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Crush to love, F/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-12
Updated: 2016-06-16
Packaged: 2018-06-07 23:07:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6828937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RussianSunflower3/pseuds/RussianSunflower3
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hinata Shouyo had a crush.<br/>He had a crush on someone seemingly unobtainable, someone beautiful and elegant.<br/>He had a growing crush on Shimizu Kiyoko.</p>
<p>But it might not be as unobtainable as he thinks, considering Kiyoko also has a crush.<br/>Now if only they could tell each other...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For that anon on Tumblr who requested slow burn KiyoHina.

It started with “I’m counting on you.”

Of course, Hinata’s reaction at the time had been to completely shut down, his brain pausing function, face burning red and even his _hair_ glowing in embarrassment because not only was he under so much pressure, but their _gorgeous_ manager had looked at him with kind eyes and a hint of a shy smile, a light blush dusted over her cheeks.

Kiyoko Shimizu was beauty personified – perfection – and Hinata Shouyo was a teenage boy who short circuited very easily.

Kiyoko had withdrawn her hand from his shoulder with a tiny sound of surprise, dainty and cute and – Hinata was smitten. The crush he’d once had on a girl in his class? Gone. The crush he’d had on Izumi back in middle school? Shattered. That crush on Koji that lasted two months? Obliterated. 

From that moment on, Hinata knew he was _screwed_. His new found revelation, along with the immense pressure - _I want to impress her!_ \- had him going batshit crazy all over the place. He completely gave in to the pressure, until Kageyama scared him back to his senses, and Tanaka lectured him on team play.

For the time being, he could put his new attraction aside. It worked well. They won 2 sets against Aobajosai, ranked 4th in the prefecture. It could have gone very differently in either direction, had Hinata been playing correctly from the beginning, and Oikawa present the whole game. 

Hinata was both moved and confused by Takeda’s speech, but part of that was probably because he kept losing track of the words, his gaze drifting over to the manager standing just off to the side. It was only when the team were collecting their water bottles and gathering their items that Hinata had another encounter. 

“Hinata-kun.” He screeched as he straightened up, twisting around on one foot and losing balance and tripping backwards over the bench. Kiyoko blinked, looking down at him with wide eyes, pink lips parted into a small ‘oh’, before her brows furrowed in concern and she extended her free hand, the other holding the water bottle Hinata had been searching for.

“Are you alright?”

“Y-YES. SORRY.” He bolted up, unsure as to why he saluted. It took two seconds for his entire body to blush, from the burning in the tips of his ears to the warm flush of his arms. Once more, Kiyoko leant back a little in surprise, but then she giggled - _giggled!_ \- and smiled. She pressed the empty water bottle into one of Hinata’s hands and all he could think about was how soft her skin was and how gentle her touch was and her laugh was so cute-

“You left this near the pole~.”

“Y-Y-Yes! Th- Thank y-you!” A stuttering mess, he felt like his brain was about to melt into liquid mush and he’d become a puddle right in front of the first girl he had truly noticed in high school.

“Oi, dumbass! Hurry up!” He never thought he’d be happy to hear Kageyama insulting him, but here we was, thanking and praising every god in the sky and angel in heaven, and quickly looping the strap of his back over his shoulder. He bowed politely to Kiyoko, before springing over the bench he had previously fallen over and sprinting over to Kageyama. 

Kiyoko raised a hand to cover her mouth, a grin growing behind it and a small huff of amusement escaping. The newbie’s were entertaining, that was for sure, and Hinata was like a bright ball of sunshine that somehow made her feel lighter, warm from the inside.

Her heart skipped a beat, stuttered. 

_Oh._ She quickly looked around to see if anyone had noticed the wobbling smile on her lips and the way her cheeks started to dust pink. Kiyoko wasn’t stupid, she knew exactly what was happening and why she was reacting this way – feeling this way.

Still, best to keep it quiet. After all, Hinata was only a first year. There was no way she would be able to acknowledge the little stutter of her heart or the heat simmering under her skin, considering how certain she was that the feeling would go away in due time. 

It was only a crush. 

“Shimizu! Can you help us loading the bags?” She almost dropped her clipboard, a sound of surprise slipping out her lips as she caught it, then turned to Daichi. She tried to play it off by tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, but she knew he had caught the fumbling when he raised an eyebrow with half amusement, half concern.

“Did I surprise you?”

“A little.”

“Distracted?”

“N-not much.” She _stuttered_ , internally sighing at her own voice betraying her, but Daichi didn’t ask questions. He pat her shoulder, warmly chuckling.

“Try not to think too hard. We’ll cover it all in the review back at the school.” As Daichi jogged back to Suga and their bags, Kiyoko started walking towards the car park, elegant in her strides, as if she was gliding. 

That annoying strand of hair came loose again, and she tucked it behind the frame of her glasses with gentleness. As her fingers brushed over the shell of her ear, she softly giggled, remembering just how red Hinata’s ears had been when he’d tripped over the bench. 

_‘Cute.’_ Sunlight glinted in the lens of her glasses and she noticed fingerprints all over them from where she’d been relentlessly pushing them up during the practice match, not wanting to miss a second. 

Silently, she pulled them off and started cleaning them on her uniform shirt, still walking and barely recognising her feet, blobs of white and black – her shoes and socks – swinging like a pendulum against a white floor that turned to wood and then carpet and-

... Where was she? 

She stopped, putting her glasses back on and - _‘oh no’_ \- she was so lost. Kiyoko Shimizu was lost in the middle of a school she had never been to before. Aobajosai was a maze, and she had strayed from the only path she knew. She felt like the lamb walking into the lion’s den. And it seemed like the lions were out hunting. That is to say, she couldn’t see anyone nearby.

Then – A slight murmuring. It was distant, but any voice was better than none, as long as there was someone who could help her find her way out. Hopefully _before_ the minivan departed. Clutching her clipboard tighter, she headed towards the voices.

She hope it wasn’t someone perverted, or someone who would hit on her. Honestly, Kiyoko was exasperated with those types. They were _everywhere_ , and they never got the message that she wasn’t interested. If she was looking for love, then it would definitely not be someone so blunt and sleazy, hitting on random girls and hoping to get ‘lucky’. 

She hoped it was someone from the volleyball team they’d just played. They seemed respectable and- Kageyama! Close enough to make out the words, she was sure she’d heard someone say Kageyama! Picking up the pace, her shoes tapped a quiet rhythm on the floor. Musically-inclined, she could imagine a tune to it, her footsteps a metronome as she headed towards the-

“Bathroom, bathroom, bathroom, yay~! Who am I? The one they’ll call the Ace!” _That_ was not her song. But it was a voice she recognised. She muffled a laugh with both hands, pressing against a wall at Hinata’s loud and tuneless singing, bright and happy and _sunshine_.

If his lyrics were correct, then just ahead was the boy’s bathroom and Kiyoko wasn’t sure she wanted to go near there. In fact, she definitely didn’t. Patiently, she waited, back against the wall and eyes closed, her head tilted up to bathe in the warmth of golden light coming through the hallways windows.

“Hey, did you cry~?”

“I did not!”

“Kageyama-kun, you can’t fool me~.”

“Shut up, dumbass!” 

“G-GAH! OW!” Amused, Kiyoko followed them at a distance. It was only when the exit of the building came into view and she was assured that they weren’t also lost that she picked up her pace. Falling into step alongside them, she held back a grinning smirk at how they jumped at her sudden appearance.

“Hinata-kun, Kageyama-kun, good work today.” 

“Thank you.” Kageyama nodded as he said those words, genuinely grateful for the compliment, but Hinata fumbled and stuttered and tripped over his words.

“You- You too! I mean! Yes! No-! Thank me! Thank _you_!” Finally getting the words out, Hinata sighed with relief. His chest felt strange. It was the same as a crush, but more... Well... Unexplainable. 

All he knew was that when he held the door open and Kiyoko nodded at him in thanks, he felt his heart squeeze and bubble like a boiled kettle.

If this was truly his first high-school crush, it was _deep_.


	2. Angel kisses

It had started with “I’m counting on you.”  
It had continued with “Angel kisses.”

It was three days before the Golden Week training camp, and everyone had settled into normal practice. That day, Kiyoko was late to turn up to practice. She apologised for disrupting practice as she slunk over to the stage, heaving herself up to sit on the edge and observe the team. Her ever-trusty clipboard was laid flat on her lap, and she took detailed notes as she watched.

Their strengths, their weaknesses, their-

A heavy sigh. Her hand lifted to her face, but not to brush that _annoying_ strand back again. The tips of her fingers pressed against her mole, pausing for about five seconds before there was the sound of a volleyball impacting the floor with great strength that snapped her back to reality. 

Kiyoko returned to flicking her gaze up to the practice and back down to her clipboard, pen moving at a rapid pace as she filled in a chart for each member, sketching out their power, speed, jumping ability, stamina, game sense, and technique. Unconsciously, she kept reaching up to press her mole, even digging her fingernails into it at one point.

She’d been late for a reason, though not one she was willing to share. Some girls in her class had been chatting loudly, talking about make-up, which usually wasn’t Kiyoko’s forte, but then they’d said something which had struck her, quite hurtfully. 

_“Yeah, I use that brand ‘cus it’s best for covering the ugly stuff! Y’know, acne, blackheads, **moles** , scars. I feel pretty with it all covered!” _

It wasn’t targeted at her. Hell, she was 100% sure that her classmates hadn’t even realised she was listening, or remembered she had a mole. But it had hurt. It had made her self-conscious. Did people really look at her mole and think of it as the ‘ugly’ part? 

Kiyoko had retreated to the bathrooms, and spent about five minutes trying to cover up the mole. She’d tried foundation, bronzer, blusher, even peach coloured lip-gloss. Nothing had worked to cover it. It had appeared faded, but then she’d touched it self-consciously and all her attempts had been rendered useless.

Sitting on the edge of the stage, she covered it up again with her fingertips. 

“Angel kisses.”

“H-Hm?” She jumped, looking down at Hinata who had apparently left his towel by the stage, dabbing sweat off his neck. He blinked, spacing out, before he suddenly seemed to realise exactly _who_ he was talking to again. His cheeks went dark. 

“A-Angel k-ki-kisses. That’s what my mum says they are.” Kiyoko tilted her head in confusion, and Hinata’s blush receded as his brows furrowed just a little bit, eyes as sharp as ever yet swimming with understanding.

“You keep touching your mole, like how Yamaguchi keeps touching his freckles. D’you get bullied about it?”

“Bullied? No, not from what I remember.” Her voice quietened, a remarkable feat considering how soft-spoken she already was. Her hair fell to frame her face as she unconsciously curled in on herself a little.

“Not directly.”

“Oh. Well... I think you should love your mole! It’s an angel kiss, an angel kiss! It means you’re blessed! _And_ it makes you look cute!” Her eyes widened, mouth dropping open slightly. Hinata stopped rambling, jaw still open from where he had been about to blurt something else out and he clamped it closed with embarrassment. 

Then, Kiyoko took her hand away from her mole, blinking slowly to clear the dampness in her eyes, and the corners of her lips turned up. 

“Thank you, Hinata-kun~.”

“Th-then it helped?”

“Yes. Thank you~. I’ll love my... Angel kiss from now on.” She solidified her words with a soft smile, the corners of her eyes crinkling as she closed them, a waterfall of happiness overflowing in her chest and swirling through her veins. 

With uncharacteristic shyness, Hinata averted his gaze. He cleared his throat as it felt like something lodged itself there, like he was about to word-vomit compliments and noises and things he didn’t understand, things that his mind brewed up whenever Kiyoko was talking to him, looking at him, _smiling_ at him.

But he was an awkward, loud first-year with a penchant for disaster, and she was a beautiful, elegant third-year with admirers falling at her feet. There was _no way_ , he convinced himself, that the manager of the volleyball team would consider him in the same light he thought of her. 

It felt like his crush was growing. Not expanding and taking over, but gathering itself into a small ball in his heart and concentrating, brightening from a soft reflective glow to the gentle radiance of a naked flame, and increasing from a dull heat flickering every now and then, to a constant source of warmth.

“Alright, back to work! Blocking drills, let’s go!” Ukai called them back and Hinata joined the others in shouting his obedience, dropping his water bottle where it was and slinging his sweaty towel to the floor. He jogged over to the rest of the team without a second thought. 

As they lined up to practicing their blocks, Hinata looked over his shoulder. His water bottle was on its side. The lid had popped off. Water spilt across the wooden floor, a slippery puddle forming at the bottom of the stage, right below Kiyoko’s feet. If she were to get off the stage before he could clean it up, she would lose her balance and fall to the floor. It could be painful, disastrous. 

“Hinata, focus! You didn’t even jump for that one!”

“S-Sorry!” He put his all into the next jump, and then the next, and the next... And he forgot about the spill. The thrill and excitement of volleyball wiped away the concerns he previously had, stealing his thoughts and reducing them to minor background noise as he played with his heart and soul.

He shined. He glittered and sparkled and smiled and he was beautiful. Kiyoko smiled very slightly as she watched, giving everyone equal attention, and yet somehow she was more drawn in by Hinata, more captivated by his enthusiasm and his happiness. 

Even sweating and panting heavily, Hinata was just as cute as ever. The flush of heat on his cheeks from exercise was similar to a blush, and beads of sweat glistened in the rays of sunlight piercing through the gymnasium windows. Under the lighting, with high contrast and sharp angles, he looked so... Mature.

“I can too, Bakageyama!” She huffed in amusement, hearing his voice above the squeak of shoes and quiet conversation. Maybe ‘mature’ wasn’t the word to describe Hinata, even in appearance. 

“Shimizu~.” She jumped a little, turning to face Suga. He stood at the opposite end of the stage, and hoisted himself up onto the platform before shimmying along to sit next to her. He gave her a friendly grin, to which she responded with a slow nod, dropping her gaze to her lap. Even around her closest friends, she was shy.

“You looked off with the fairies!” 

“I did?”

“Mhm~. Even Daichi noticed, which is saying something.”

“I’m sorry.” Suga laughed, gentle and encouraging of conversation. It was easier to relax around him before anyone else.

“What were you thinking of?”

“Hina-. A-ah...” She trailed off, biting her tongue softly and clamping her lips shut. She curled in one herself slightly, eyes wider than usual and light pink dusting her cheeks. She’d almost just said it! She almost let it slip! Suga grinned slyly.

“Hinata, huh?” Kiyoko whipped her head around to look at him, face pallid and strands of her hair falling messily around her face, propelled by the movement. Her jaw stuttered, trying to form words and yet nothing came out!

“It’s okay, I won’t tell anyone. You can trust me, Shimizu~.” The invisible hand wrapped around her stomach loosened its grip and she felt less nauseous. That... Hadn’t been too bad. 

“Thank you...” Suga softly pat her shoulder, giving a thumbs up with his other hand, winking cheekily.

“No problem~.” He looked up to see Hinata coming over to get his water bottle. The setter waved and beamed, which encouraged Hinata to come running over to talk. 

And he’d forgotten about the water spill.

“G-GWAAH!” Hinata went flying into the air, one foot in front of the other, sprawled onto his back and left lying on the ground like a disproportionate starfish. Kiyoko stared down at him, hand covering her mouth with a gasp and eyes wide as Suga carefully dropped from the edge of the stage to help him up.

“Hinata, are you okay!?”

“B-bwah... I’m okay!” He grinned, cheeks rose and the corners of his eyes crinkled, not embarrassed in the slightest, because he was _always_ falling over and tripping and slipping. Suga shook his head with a weary sigh, spacing his feet apart equally to keep his balance as he pulled Hinata to his feet. Kiyoko reached out and gently brushed her fingers against his shoulder.

“Are you sure you’re okay, Hinata-kun?”

“Y-Yes!” As he turned to face her, his heel slipped in the puddle once more and he went down with a comical cry of _“Noooooo!”_ , taking Suga down with him. For a second, there was pure silence.

Then Tanaka and Noya, who was joining for training sessions only, burst out into loud, unruly laughter. Tsukishima snickered underneath them, muttering a mean comment to Yamaguchi who sniggered. Kageyama started shouting at Hinata for being such an idiot, Daichi sighed and shook his head, and Takeda was trying to confirm if anyone needed first aid whilst Ukai tried to calm him down.

And underneath all the noise, there was this quiet giggle that Hinata’s ears latched onto, turning back to look up at Kiyoko. 

She shone like stars, her timid laughter like bells in the ocean, shoulders shaking in mirth as she laughed freely. It was the first time he had heard her so happy, and his heart... _Thumped_. Not a regular ba-thump, but such an almighty thud that he was surprised Suga couldn’t feel as it felt like it vibrated through his entire body, ripples through his veins and shudders on his skin. 

If the mole on her chin was an angel kiss, then Hinata was sure that Kiyoko herself was the angel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This pair so rare, it's critically endangered.  
> If any of you guys got a ship like that you want written - or even just a normal requests! - drop it in my Tumblr!  
> ( https://www.tumblr.com/blog/russiansunflower3 )


	3. Discovered?!

After “Angel kisses”, came “Good morning”.

The Golden Week training camp was going immensely well, and Hinata was thrilled to have both Noya and Asahi back on the team. Not only did the team feel stronger and more tied together, but there was so much more activity! It was fun!

The building they were staying in was close to the school, allowing for maximum practice time. But for Hinata, that meant he didn’t get his 30 minute cycle over the mountains. So at six in the morning, he got up, showered, dressed, and snuck outside. 

The town of Karasuno wasn’t big, but it was certainly a maze. Hinata could easily map out a route that had him running the same length he would have cycled. It took a little longer, considering he was on feet instead of on wheels, but by the time 7 rolled around and everybody else would be waking up, Hinata slowed to a halt in front of the building. 

He leant against the wall for a minute, regulating his breathing and cooling off, pulling gentle stretches to ease away the burn in his muscles. The morning air was still and quiet, not too warm and yet not unpleasantly chilly. Exhaling sharply and shaking his hair like a wet dog, Hinata headed back in the building.

No one should have been up. Nobody should have been awake, except himself. Which is why he was extremely surprised to hear noise coming from the kitchen area. Slowly, as quietly as his small body allowed, Hinata tiptoed into the doorway, crouched down below counter level. A swish of movement, material, caught his eye first and he quickly realised it was a _nightgown_. His face burst into colour and he backed out with the speed of lightning.

He wasn’t quick enough, however, and the person in the nightgown made a confused noise, setting something down on the countertop and padding through to the hallway with bare feet. Hinata hadn’t made it far enough to escape, sitting about halfway up the stairs. 

Ebony hair tied back, Kiyoko looked at him in confusion before she deduced that the redness of his face was due to the early morning run she would often hear him returning from. Honestly, she had though he’d already returned, but apparently she was early. Kiyoko smiled softly at him.

“Good morning.” Hinata attempted to reply. Instead, all that came out was an embarrassing squeak. The corners of Kiyoko’s lips twitched upwards, but she held back the small laugh that wanted to escape. Hinata whacked at his chest and cleared his throat, before looking back up at her.

“G-Good after- No! Morning! Good morning!”

“How are you feeling, Hinata-kun?”

“G-good. I’m good. Are you good?” _Cute_. The way he flustered over his words, hands wringing the bottom of his workout shirt... It was endearing.

“I’m very good, thank you~. Were you out for a run?” Hinata’s eyes widened, genuinely surprised. 

“How did you know?” With a smirk, Kiyoko pointed directly across the road. Hinata’s mouth morphed into an ‘o’ of realisation. Kiyoko lived ‘nearby’, Suga had stated on their first day, but the manager had revealed to the first years that if she was needed for any emergencies, her house was directly opposite. She’d made it very clear that if _anything_ classifying as an emergency happened, then either one of them or the third years was to notify her immediately.

Hinata blinked again. Wait... 

If she lived across the road and returned home for the night...

Why was she wearing her nightgown in the training room kitchen?! 

His eyes darted up and down her appearance, jaw dropped and flabbergasted. Kiyoko tilted her head to the side, until her eyes followed Hinata’s and realised that he was trying to keep his eyes on her face despite his curiosity as to her state of dress. 

“I usually change here, once I’ve finished setting up breakfast, in case you’re wondering.”

“Eh? Why?” The question was out before Hinata could bite it back and he slapped two hands over his mouth. Kiyoko drew back a miniscule amount, caught off guard by the question. She crossed an arm across her chest, tapping the elbow of her other arm as she brought it up to rest on her cheek, teasing him by making it look like she was stopping to think of a reason.

Hinata looked up at her in expectation, scarily focused on her face in respect, refusing to look down at her body. He knew that she was not dressed that way to encourage looks, but for comfort and personal preference. His mother had been very clear in teaching him respect for young ladies, driving it home that they were uncomfortable with being stared at because it was most often objectification.

“My parents get up around this time. I wouldn’t want to get in their way. Besides, if I didn’t come across this early, who knows how you boys would get fed~?” A cheeky grin, mixed with a smirk. A joke spoken with the lightest of voices and a teasing tone. Hinata found himself laughing, and when he laughed, it was contagious. Kiyoko joined him – bells in the ocean – until she managed to calm herself. 

“Why don’t you go and get ready? I’ll have everything sorted by then.” Hinata bolted up, arms flying out in front of him in denial, outstretching towards Kiyoko because he was _enjoying_ talking casually to her, in the quiet of the morning, and he didn’t want to let that go yet. There might not be another time like this, when they could talk freely without being judged or interrupted.

“No! I mean... No. Let me help. Please?” Kiyoko said nothing, but nodded and gestured for him to follow her as she stepped back into the kitchen. There was a huge steamer on the side filled with simmering water and rice, and Kiyoko had a chopping board laid out with a selection of things that could go over the top.

“Can you make the miso stock whilst I chop these?”

“Yes!” Hinata fell into a peaceful silence as he started mixing ingredients, boiling the miso soup in a huge pot on the stove, enough for the entire team. It was calm, relaxing, and with Kiyoko’s merry humming, it felt _right_. Hinata felt tranquil.

It didn’t last for long. Just as Kiyoko had finished slicing the last of the kobachi, there was kerfuffle from upstairs, the thudding of feet and people getting up. Even through the floorboards, Tanaka and Noya could be heard making a ruckus and trying to drag the other members out of bed. Kiyoko placed the knife down and huffed in amusement.

“That’s my cue. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

“O-Okay!” Kiyoko slunk away, taking a pile of clothes with her as she headed towards the girls bathroom. Hinata turned back to the pot and steamer on the stove, noticing that both were nearing overcooked. He switched them off, fetching bowls and plates to lay on the table. That done, he lifted the steamer and carried it over to the table, in perfect position for everyone to take what they wanted.

Hinata was just assorting the kobachi into large sharing bowls, when the two noisemakers of the team entered the kitchen area, freshly showered and dressed ready for practice.

“Oi, Oi, Hinata! I didn’t know you were the one who made this every morning!” Tanaka slung an arm over him, grinning as huge as ever.

“E-Eh!? No! I’m not!” Noya was already using the serving spoon to scoop rice into his bowl, piling up a mountain.

“But you’re the one putting it out, Shouyo! If you didn’t cook it, who did?”

“Kiyoko-san!”

“... Kiyoko?”

“Yeah! She made everything but the soup!” Both their faces overshadowed, moving to stand in front of him and putting a heavy hand on each shoulder.

“Shouyo, are you saying...”

“... You were _alone_ with Kiyoko?” His stomach churned and his bladder squeezed and he felt a cold shiver run down his spine, hands starting to shake.

“Y-Yes?” For a moment, neither of them moved. Neither of them breathed. Hinata trembled. Had he made his senpai angry? Had he offended them?

“Shouyo...” He dropped to his knees automatically with his head hung low in fearsome apology. Then, unexpectedly, Noya shot up with a grin and held out a thumbs up, Tanaka mirroring him with a much more casual posture.

“That’s awesome, Shouyo! You’re so lucky! You got to cook with Kiyoko!”

“Yeah, I’d give my right lung to cook alone with a pretty girl.” He snapped his head up, floof bobbing as he did so and eyes wide, a noise of surprise slipping from his lips.

“You- You’re not angry with me?” Tanaka’s laugh boomed as Noya pat Hinata’s shoulder before offering a hand up.

“How could we be angry? We’re proud of you!” Fidgeting, the first year pressed his fingers together in nervousness.

“Well, I-... I like Kiyoko-san.”

“Everyone does. It’s impossible not to like Kiyoko!” Tanaka held his hands out flat in front of him, like he was physically laying out facts as to why Kiyoko was so well-liked. But that didn’t help Hinata. He bit his lip, then shuffled. His muscles tensed, ready to flee if he needed to, with his next statement. 

“No, I mean... I like-like her. I think it’s a cr-crush.”

“Oh. Well why didn’t you say so?!” Tanaka gave him a hardy pat on the back, supportive and strong, whilst Noya just proudly huffed.

“E-Eh?”

“You coulda just told us in the first place.” Hinata shuffled, head down and hands fumbling together.

“I thought you’d be mad. C-Cus you like her too.” Noya laughed, loud and bright, whilst Tanaka only smiled.

“That’s why we’re supporting you. You make her happy. Around you, she’s always smiling or giggling, or blushing.”

“We’re all for you, Shouyo! But that doesn’t mean we’re going to give in either!”

“Yeah, we gotta step up our game, Noya!”

“Ryuu!”

“Noya!”

“Ryuu!”

“Noya!”

“Ry- _Kiyoko-saaaan!_ ” Kiyoko, standing in the doorway in her casual clothing, ducked in time to let Noya sail over her head, and flicked her hair back over her shoulder as she entered the kitchen. Her eyes widened when she caught sight of the table, peach lips falling into a soft ‘oh’ shape, before she turned to Hinata and smiled delicately.

“Thank you for your help~.” Tanaka only just managed to catch Hinata when he burst into red blush and fainted.


	4. Motivation

“Good morning” became their new routine, and it was broken with “Do- Do your best”. 

Ever since the Golden Week training camp, Hinata had made sure to greet Kiyoko with a bright smile and melodic “Good morning!”, to which Kiyoko would respond with a serene smile and soft “Morning to you too~.” In the afternoons, it would be a joyful “see you tomorrow!” and chime of “Travel safely”.

It had become their routine, just a small exchange of words that brightened up each other’s mornings. To Hinata, it was a quick recharge after his cycle to school, allowing him to play on top form with a brilliant smile, no matter how bad his morning had been previously. To Kiyoko, it was a soft breeze that danced around her and refreshed the schedule she’d stuck to for three years.

Unsurprisingly, the rest of the volleyball team had noticed the small addition and increased interaction, especially leading up to the Interhigh. Hinata received relentless teasing, harmless, though it constantly gave him heart attacks worrying that Kiyoko would overhear.

On the other hand, Kiyoko was only teased by Sugawara, and on occasion, Daichi. It was only gentle, often camouflaged as advice, yet it still had her ears burn red and shoulders hunch up in something similar to a shrug. Asahi was too sweet to join in. He was, however, guilty of not intervening. (And she’d often caught him nodding in agreement with Suga out the corner of her eye.)

At the same time, she noticed Tanaka and Noya doing more to catch her attention or try and impress her, but being less straightforward and hands-on. Kiyoko easily deduced that they had worked something out and were being respectful of that whilst not giving up on her affection. Actually, it was rather endearing and she felt like labelling them as puppies. 

“Kiyoko, would you like to unveil the surprise today?” Clicking the nib of her pen away, Kiyoko tapped her bottom lip in deep thought, before turning to Takeda with determination in her eyes, flecks of blue standing out more than usual.

“Yes. It’ll give them the motivation they need to win.” Takeda warmly chuckled, pushing his glasses into place as they slipped down his nose. 

“Then I’ll ready the ban- Oop, the _surprise_ for afternoon practice.”

“Thank you, sensei.” She turned her gaze back to practice just as Asahi broke through a triple block and Ukai called out praise. It was a six VS six friendly game, the 12 boys split to form two teams that were relatively balanced in both attacking power, blocking, and serves. 

Team A was Suga, Ennoshita, Nishinoya, Kinoshita, Asahi, and Tsukishima.

Team B was Kageyama, Daichi, Narita, Tanaka, Hinata, and Yamaguchi.

Kiyoko herself had been the one to suggest these players in those teams, having relentlessly studied and revised their playing styles, their strengths and weaknesses, and most importantly – their teamwork. She was also in charge of scorekeeping. 

Currently, the board proudly displayed an even score of 23-23, so it was anyone’s game. That would be, if exhaustion didn’t claim a loser first. Being evenly matched in skill, both teams had struggled through long rallies and intense strategic play to try and gain the upper hand. It was draining, physically and mentally. 

At some point, something – or someone – had to give.

Tsukishima had nowhere near the stamina as Hinata, and his jumps were getting lower. It was so much _easier_ for Hinata to score, especially with the freak quick. Nishinoya would occasionally save every ball that came his side, but as the rallies wore on, Hinata’s team gained the upper hand.

As soon as the scoreboard hit 25-23, most of the boys collapsed to their knees, or full-out lay on the floor in a puddle of their own sweat. It looked uncomfortable, it smelt bad, and there were weary groans that sounded physically pained. Yet, Kiyoko couldn’t feel more proud. 

These were her boys, her team, and they were strong.  
They could do this!   
They could win!  
They could go to nationals and defeat the other teams, have an ultimate showdown against Nekoma, and come out on top of the world!

Kiyoko rode that euphoric feeling for the rest of the day, attempting to channel it into confidence for the _surprise_ she had planned for the afterschool practice. In hindsight, that probably wasn’t a good idea because she was starting to get jittery with nerves.

It took a good two minutes for her to enter the gymnasium once lessons had finished, leaving a slight dip in the ground where she had been pacing back and forth. Just as she was calming down, watching the first years messing around during practice, Takeda entered with the ‘surprise’ folded up in his arms. She’d asked him to safe-keep it in the teachers’ lounge during lesson time.

“Ready for this~?”

“... I wish I could say yes, Sensei.” He laughed gently, warmly, and placed the black material on the bench next to her.

“I’m sure you’ll be ready by the time they’ve finished.”

“I hope so. This will be important to them.”

“Well, just imagine how happy they’ll be when we unveil it~.” Kiyoko turned her eyes back to the court, watching as Hinata threw his arms up in victory as breaking through a block, grin beaming and the corners of his eyes crinkled in excitement – happiness. Her shoulder relaxed, her breathing slowed, and a small smile graced her face along with a reserved blush.

Hinata wasn’t the only one she’d make happy, but for some reason, she wanted to see his smile most. 

Practice ended with 5 minutes of serving practice, something light to allow their muscles to relax and bodies to cool down. Hinata could feel the good kind of ache in his bones; sweat clinging to his skin and his heart rate returning to normal, after having such an exhilarating practice. It was out of the corner of his eye that he noticed Kiyoko standing up, something black in her arms. She spoke quietly to Takeda, before passing over the material. Before he could even question it, Ukai called for the end of practice.

Kiyoko took a deep breath in. A slow exhale out. In. Out. In... And out....  
All the times she had left practice early, all the pork buns she’d missed out on, all the moments she could have had with the team... They had been sacrificed for this unveiling, and she could only hope it would be worth it.

Kiyoko moved to stand next to Takeda in front of the boys, just side to the whiteboard, with Ukai addressing the team.

“Go home and sleep early tonight.”

“Yes!”

“Okay, that’ll do it.” Takeda lunged forwards as Daichi was about to dismiss the others, reading the situation that they were allowed to go. Internally, Kiyoko thanked Sensei because she didn’t like to interrupt people, especially not her friends.

“J-Just a second! One more thing. Shimizu-chan?” All eyes turned to her and she could feel their confusion, but most of all, their interest. She had their attention, and honestly? It was making her feel rather... Shy. Fumbling her hands in front of her, and head low, she felt self-doubt sting a little bit. 

They weren’t used to her speaking up, taking attention, or cheering them on openly. They were used to her silent support, her analytical behaviour and constant observation. Maybe she should have cheered more. Maybe she should have given them more encouragement. But she just wasn’t very good at cheering. So, she let them know.

_‘The most important thing about friendships and teamwork is honesty.’_

“I’m not good at cheering, but... Sensei, if you will?” The cloth left her hands as Takeda took it from her, slinging it over his shoulder and starting to climb the ladder to the observation platforms. She panicked a little, jogging to the bottom of the ladder. The _surprise_ was heavy, it could easily unbalance him!

“Leave it to me.”

“Sensei, I can do the carrying!”

“Don’t worry about it~.” She sighed, allowing him to do so anyways. There wasn’t much point protesting when he was already near the top of the ladder. She followed, reaching the platform just as he’d unfolded it until it was only halved, and took the furthest corners to pull it across. 

“What’s going on?” Their voices sounded quieter from up here, but Noya was loud and his voice carried above the other sounds of confusion. Kiyoko lifted her eyes to meet Takeda’s, on the other end of the ban- _surprise_ , and he nodded.

“One, two...!” It was heavy, and pushing up from the crouch position had her legs ache, but Kiyoko and Takeda flung the surprise up, releasing one of the folded halves so the it – a banner- opened and fluttered as they quickly attached the top of it to the railings. It took an extra second for the banner to flutter down enough for the team to see.

There, on the plain back background, were sharp, white kanji, printed on as if the characters had been designed with aggressive passion and desire to achieve their aims, yet drawn with large swoops and elegant arches, a sense of freedom and exhilaration. 

_**Fly.**_

It suited them. It fitted. It was beauty and truth and _craving for the skies_ , fighting gravity and winning battles and feeling liberated. It was Karasuno.

Eyes widened and jaws dropped and despite their exhaustion after practice, the team sparkled in amazement, gazing up at this banner like they had already won the Interhigh, ‘Fly’ as their good luck charm, their guarantee for victory. A small smile painted itself on Kiyoko’s face. All her time, all her sacrifices – they were more than worth it.

“I didn’t know we had that!”

“I found it whilst cleaning, so I washed it.” _Many, many times._

“Whoa, I’m getting fired up!”

“That’s our Kiyoko-san! Great job!”

“All right! Let’s get fired up!” 

“Wait.” Daichi held out his arm to cut off Tanaka and Noya’s excited rambling, practically shouting at each other enough for her to hear as if they stood right next to her. But they didn’t try anything. Beforehand, they would have blown kisses or immediately burst into cheesy, over the top confession. Now, she was certain they knew something about her crush on Hinata. Or- Or maybe even...? Could Hinata possibly... Like her? 

Her cheeks pinkened, her ears burnt, and she was vaguely aware of Daichi acknowledging she hadn’t yet finished. There was one more thing she had to do. Something that embarrassed her, but she was already blushing, so there was no point worrying about that.

“Do...” Her gaze dropped, scanning over the team and hesitating on Hinata for a second. _‘Say it to him. Tell the team. Tell Hinata!’_ She lifted her head back up with determination, shoulders jostling with nerves.

“Do your best.” Nobody moved. Nobody spoke. They were frozen, looking up at her. She bit her bottom lip, nodded, and walked back to the ladder. Well, half jogged. It was just as she reached the floor again, exactly 14 seconds later, (She’d been counting), that they finally reacted.

Suga, Asahi, Daichi, Tanaka, and Noya. They just... Simultaneously burst into tears of admiration, genuinely touched and motivated. She paused from running away, thinking she hadn’t done enough – hadn’t done it right – when Daichi called out.

“Shimizu! No-one ever did anything like this for us before!” He had his arm across his face, pointlessly trying to hide the fact he was crying, like some kind of proud father.

“E-Even the captain?”

“Those guys... They’re speechless.” Tanaka and Noya were frozen, staring up at the spot she had wished them luck from.

“They usually never shut up.” Then, exactly the same as before, the same five started bawling, loud and noisy and messy. Takeda, standing just off behind Kiyoko, raised his voice above the din.

“You’re all out of control!” It started to make her realise just how much of an effect she had on them. 

“We’re going to win the first round for sure!” Cheers of agreement, Suga and Asahi pumping their fists with enthusiasm – a promise to try their hardest – whilst Tanaka lifted Noya, Tsukishima watched on with repulsed confusion and Hinata _jumped._ He went from being lower than Tanaka to higher than Tsukishima by a whole head, his arms sticking out and legs splayed like a star, his eyes glittering and his voice louder than the others as he echoed agreement to Daichi’s statement.

_‘Did saying so little really motivate them that much? I- I made them happy?’_

“We have the strength of a hundred men!”

_‘I made them happy. I made **him** happy. I helped my friends!’ _

As the others broke into the usual cacophony and chaos, Hinata looked her way and sent her a wide smile. Her heart skipped a beat, and she nodded in return before he, along with everyone else, moved to gather their things and go home. They didn’t exchange their usual words, breaking the routine they had constructed.

But it felt better.

They were riding the high of her words, euphoric with newfound motivation, and Kiyoko was gleaming over the fact that she had helped.

So they broke routine. So what? It was better this way. It felt right this way. Words would only ruin the moment, and the smile he had given her was all their conversation in one gesture. Kiyoko stepped out the gymnasium, looking up at the evening sky, the moon already risen and stars flittering brightly, like the happiness she had seen in Hinata’s eyes.

Looking back towards the school gates that she had to exit through, she caught a glimpse of orange zooming away, moonlight glinting as it reflected off a metal frame. No doubt, Hinata was racing Kageyama until they reached the point their paths parted. A small huff of amusement escaped her. He was so bright, so energetic, so _inspiring_. 

He had brought new talent, new attacks and new life to the team, helping to build them back into Karasuno, crows who soared. He deserved to accomplish his dreams of going to nationals. He deserved to become the new ‘Small Giant’, known by the country for his skill and instinctive style of playing, as well as his brightness.

_‘Do you best, Hinata-kun.’ ___


	5. Friends will always be the most important.

“Do- Do your best”, did the perfect trick, and desperate to help out more, Kiyoko’s next advice was to “Make sure Kageyama’s okay.”

The team were still in good spirits, laughing and casually talking as they entered the gym stadium where the preliminaries were taking place. Kiyoko walked at the back, Takeda by her side as the supporting roles of Karasuno. Of course, in a place swimming with testosterone, and being as beautiful as she was, Kiyoko was bound to attract some attention. She pretended to be oblivious to it at first, because it really didn’t bother her as long as no one tried anything.

“The banner was quite effective.”

“Do you think so?”

“It worked a lot better than that poem I wrote.” She giggled quietly, aware of Takeda’s attachment to poetry, yet amused by how he made it so awkward when trying to incorporate real-life experiences. She’d read over it this morning and helped make a lot of changes before he read it to the team on the minibus. Indeed, the banner had gone over much better.

“Cute...”

“Go say hi. I dare you.”

“Should I? Should I try?” The small exchange from two members of a different team caught her ears and perked her attention. And it seemed she wasn’t the only one who’d overheard. Like vicious protective bulldogs, Noya and Tanaka circled her with intimidating faces towards anyone looking and supposed-to-be-scary growling noises. Really, they were just making fools of themselves and embarrassing the name of Karasuno.

What Kiyoko wasn’t aware of, was that the two morons were doing it for somebody else. They weren’t protecting her out of their own possessiveness. It was partially because they wanted to keep her safe – in case anyone who had ulterior motives approached, but mostly because they’d seen the way Hinata had unconsciously shrunk in on himself a little. 

The reason Tanaka and Noya guarded Kiyoko so fiercely was because Hinata hadn’t told her his feelings yet. He hadn’t confessed, and had admitted to them that he was scared of someone better coming along and leaving him with no chance.

_“Better than you? Better than **you?** Hinata, you have to have more confidence!”_

_“Yeah Shouyo! Kiyoko-san lights up whenever you’re around! You make her suuuper happy!”_

_“B-But what if-?” Tanaka shook his head, planting a sturdy hand on Hinata’s shoulder._

_“No ifs! Listen, you’ve got all the chance in the world, no matter who Kiyoko is with. But if it bothers you that much...”_

_“We’ll just make **sure** you get to tell her before anyone else gets too close!”_

Hinata was their precious kouhai, and they had made a firm promise. They weren’t going to break it! They wouldn’t let him down! Until Hinata had the courage to confess, Tanaka and Noya would chase away the strangers who knew nothing about their beloved manager!

“Stop that.” Kiyoko sighed as she smacked the two programme booklets – one for participants, one for audiences – on the backs of their heads with perfect timing. She didn’t even pause, spinning on her heel and walking away flawlessly.

“Kiyoko-san...”

“...Smacked us.” She rolled her eyes. _‘Masochists.’_. Unfortunately, being a manager, she had to depart from the team so they could go to the preparation area and warm up, or mentally ready themselves. Managers, teaching assistants, and Coaches had to go to a meeting in one of the large rooms near the back, generally used for strategic meetings or bargaining Olympic players. 

The meeting would be brief about the rules on and off court, the expectations for behaviour, the procedure for player injury, and to quickly meet the referees. If there was someone they knew, that referee could not oversee the matches with that particular team. It was all to promote fair, safe play.

When they returned, it was not to the court but to the stands. Other teams already had their banners out and tied to the rails, so Kiyoko did the same with the banner they had brought along, Takeda helping to secure it in place. It was worth it. It was _more_ than worth it, when everyone on the court stopped and looked up at it, their fists curling tightly in ambition.

Smiling, she made her way back out the auditorium, down the stairs, and back in the doors onto the court. There were water bottles to fill, other teams to briefly watch for a vague analysis, and other little things that would help lead the team to victory.

The first match – against a friend Daichi used to know – went far too quickly. From Tanaka and Noya getting overly hyped up, Daichi getting in trouble with the referee, Asahi being dejected by the audience thinking he was old, to Hinata-... Hinata _flying_ as he spiked the ball down, the freak quick that nobody except their own team saw coming. She could never tire of watching it.

They won that game with a huge gap, sparking the rumours that a strong team had emerged, Karasuno had been reborn, and the crows had taken to the skies once more. Yet rumours were useless for unsettling practices, rigid opponents like Dateko. 

It took almost every trick in the book. It took the skills of every player on court. It took their new attack, stolen from Nekoma and perfected for their own usage. Asahi proved himself to be the Ace they knew he could be, settling the first half as 25-21. But at the same time, it left them bare. With the players currently on court, they had unveiled all their tricks and surprises. 

Now, Dateko was aware of their playing style. If they didn’t win this set and went into a third, Karasuno would be at a huge disadvantage. They had to seal their victory with this one. They _had_ to. And somehow, even though Dateko had giants and a wall and knew their playing style, Karasuno managed to win. 

22-25. A three point difference. The teams lined up, shook the hand of the player opposite, and then filed back to their Coaches to receive feedback. Kiyoko, however, noticed Hinata stop. She couldn’t see what was happened from the angle she was at, but Dateko’s number 7 – Aone – stood opposite him. 

“They were shaking hands right in my way.”

“Tsukki, be nice! It’s incredible Hinata earned such respect from a formidable opponent...” Ah, so that’s what was going on. She relaxed, watching as Hinata came over to grab his towel to wipe sweat off, and drink from his water bottle for rehydration. It had been a hard and difficult game, and Yamaguchi was right. Hinata had _earned_ the respect he deserved.

Tidying up the bench a little and making sure everyone’s belongings were in one place for when they had to pack up, Kiyoko was distracted until they were called to bow to the audience and give their thanks for being cheered on. It was only quick, so she was able to return to her notes in under a minute. 

As she flicked through, reading the notes she’d taken on Dateko, she overheard Hinata and Kageyama.

“They didn’t notice our signals, huh?”

“Yeah. They should be effective for a while.”

“Your brains are made of muscle, so I’m amazed you thought them up.” At Tsukishima’s obvious barb, no matter how offensive it was, Kiyoko hid a smile behind her sleeve. She knew the first years hadn’t come up with it themselves. Most likely it had been Sugawara, after she’d spoken to him about Hinata’s difficulties with hand signals. She’d suggested a verbal signal, and it seemed Sugawara had thought up the perfect ones. Even _she_ couldn’t tell what they were.

As they were walking out the gym, their attention was stolen by the squeals of fangirls and the thud of a volleyball bouncing against the court. They froze in place, eyes turning to the match between Aobajosai and Omisaku. 

“Oikawa-san!” With the girls as his backdrop, Oikawa caught a ball bounced over to him to serve. Kiyoko caught a glance of the scoreboard. 

14 – 23.

 _‘Omisaku are strong. How can Aobajosai be that far ahead?!’_ A smirk grew on Oikawa’s face. His eyes had momentarily flicked over to them as he bounced the volleyball, checking it was still at prefect inflation. He was aware they were there.

“Who will devour the king and the black horse?” Another bounce.

“Who will devour them all and go to the nationals?” He grasped the ball tightly, as if he was gripping victory and refusing to let go. 

“We will!” Attempting not to show how unsettled it made them, and deciding it was best to watch their next opponents, Karasuno headed for the stands and into the auditorium seats. In the end, they were only able to get front row seats for the entire team if they watched over the other side of the court.

The whistle blew and the ball was thrown and Oikawa paced forwards and the _slam_ echoed in their ears as it flew over the net and-

It was in. On the line, perfectly targeted where it couldn’t be reached. A strong, powerful serve with an extreme momentum. Oikawa Tooru had what seemed like a perfect serve.

“What? Again!?” Hinata jumped out of his seat with a fearful and disbelieving expression, his hair almost brushing Kiyoko’s nose as he sat in front of her.

“That’s his forth aced serve in a row.”

“His power goes without saying, but that control is pretty nasty too.”

“But, if they can do something about that serve-?”

“It’s true that his serves are scary, but Oikawa, as a setter is completely unknown to us.” Kiyoko nodded in agreement, not that anyone noticed, as she gripped her pen tighter. 

Notes.

She needed notes.

She _needed_ information to help the team, to propel them to victory, to take them to the orange court where Hinata could fly free.

“You know, setters... Are like orchestra conductors. Even if you have the same song and same orchestra, if the orchestra is different, the sound is different.” Kiyoko knew exactly what Ukai was talking about when Oikawa set to the Ace, #4.

It was nothing like the practice match they’d had against them. There was no pause of hesitation between the ball being set and #4 spiking. There was no needing to see where the ball would be heading, because the trajectory and aim was incredible, putting the ball in a perfect line to where #4 slammed it down. And whilst Kiyoko could see this from the audience, nobody would know it better than a setter.

“How do I put this...? They’ve got a very smooth transition.”

“Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san, that #4 on the left. Apparently those two have been on the same team since grade school. They’re linked, both mentally and physically.” Ukai lifted a hand to his face, rubbing at his tense jaw. He too, could sense Aobajosai were a threat.

“I don’t really think the second year setter’s level was any lower in the practice match. I mean, they’re in Seijou.”

“Right.”

"I think it’s just that Oikawa knows everything there is to know about Seijou’s team, and is helping them bring out their A-game.” 

Tension. 

Tension and seriousness and uncomfortableness.

It enveloped Karasuno like an ominous cloud, stealing away the high they had been on and bringing them crashing back down to earth. They had to play Aobajosai. They had to play this skilled team, with strong spikers and tall middle blockers, and a clever libero. They had to play Oikawa, the setter who knew his team down to their cores, the orchestrator of battles, the-

“The Grand King is so awesome~!!! I want to hurry up and play him!”

“Yeah, I hope he aims his serves at me! I totally want to get them!”

“Noya-san’s awesome too!” Kiyoko barely held back a laugh at the outburst. Trust Hinata to be so bright about a tough opponent, and just like Nishinoya, ignore the atmosphere, if he could even read it.

“Well, isn’t that promising~?” It was Ukai sounding ever so proud of them and highly amused that had Kiyoko snicker. Hinata spared her a glance, dazzling, before he was ultimately distracted. Within _seconds_.

“Hey, look, Shouyo! There’s a TV crew here!”

“TV!? Awesome! I wanna be on TV too!” His laugh was cut off by a producer standing nearby.

“Hey now... You two junior high- Maybe you’re grade school kids? Quiet down a little.” Both of them froze, paling and deflating like their spirits had departed this world.

“Grade...”

“Sorry...” Muffling their laughter into hands and sleeves, or not muffling it at all, the rest of the team laugh and giggled at their misfortune. 

Then, an extended blow of the referee’s whistle. The second set had come to an end, and Aobajosai had overpowered their opponents 25 – 12. It was a crushing defeat. Even though Kiyoko was sat on one end of the second row, from the other end and below, she could feel uncertainty and irritation radiating off of someone. Who? Who...?

Kageyama. He wasn’t quite glaring, but the gaze he had resting on Oikawa was scary. She wasn’t sure if he was trying to be intimidating, if he was trying to think of something that could fight him, or if he was _frightened_ , but he was certainly anxious and unsettled by their next opponents. 

Quietly, Kiyoko worried. Not just because Kageyama was the setter, pivotal to their team, or because he was an acquaintance, but because he was Hinata’s friend. She hoped that whilst being a senpai, Kageyama considered her a friend too. All of a sudden, before Aobajosai had even bowed, lining up with cheerful smiles, Kageyama scooped up his bag and walked off. Hinata caught the movement from his peripheral vision and tilted his head in confusion and concern.

The team followed, clued in that something was obviously very wrong. Piling onto the minivan, they spoke amongst themselves until one by one, they dropped off into a slumber. Kiyoko would frequently turn around to check on them, making sure no one was strangling themselves with their seatbelts – Or, in a turn of events, strangling each other.

“It’s so quiet.”

“Everyone’s out cold.”

“Well, they did play two games. Plus, they won both straight-set wins, so that’s not bad. If they keep winning, starting tomorrow not only will they have two matches a day, but their opponents will continue to get stronger. We’ll have to bolster their morale each time.”

“Right.” The school didn’t seem that far away, certainly not as distant as when they had been heading towards the Interhigh. Maybe that was because there was quiet instead of ruckus, or that the louder team members weren’t belting out songs about glory and victory, extremely out of tune and much too enthusiastic. As Takeda put the brakes on, Ukai slipped from his seat to walk to the back of the bus, shaking everyone’s shoulders and gently slapping cheeks to get them to wake up.

“Come on! Up, up! We’re back, numbskulls!” Yawning and dazed, they filed off one by one, Kiyoko at the top of the steps to make sure no one tripped, and Takeda at the bottom just in case they did.

“Alright, we’re going to have a meeting.”

“Osu...” 

“Takeda-sensei! The volleyball club is on TV!” 

“Ooh! TV?!” Instantly, they were awake, Hinata bolting forwards with Tanaka just behind and Noya ahead of him. Luckily, they remembered their manners and waited outside the Faculty Room until the rest of the club caught up. It was cute, the way Hinata bobbed up and down on his feet in eager anticipation.

“Please excuse us!” The television was on, Miyagi News broadcast across the district. But as much as they watched, they were only mentioned in name. The main focus was on Shiratorizawa and Aobajosai, specifically Ushijima and Oikawa. From Kageyama, Kiyoko started picking up the same insecure vibes that Hinata seemed oblivious to. Then, as if aiming to irritate and tease Karasuno, Oikawa was featured in an interview.

“ _They’re a great team. I hope... They go for broke~._ ” A heavy atmosphere, a surge of annoyance, an immense pressure. It darkened the team, as they stared at the TV with the intent to throw it out the window. Even _Tsukishima_ looked bothered by the overconfident statement from the captain of their next opponent. 

“Th- There was a glimpse of your match at the very beginning! You all looked very cool!”

“Sensei, thank you.” Daichi’s voice was thick with murder, echoing the wishful thinking of everyone around him. The teacher jolted backwards, tense with anxious fear. Kiyoko furrowed her brow in sympathy. She too, had once been nervous around Daichi’s intense voice. Admittedly, she was sure that if Hinata hadn’t been too distracted by the TV’s statement, he probably would have run to the bathroom.

“Oh, it was nothing...!”

“All right... Well, then... Let’s do this.” _A **murder** of crows._ At that moment, the nickname had never suited them more. Apparently, the other teacher could sense this and interpreted it as literal murderous intent.

“Do what?!” Frantically, Takeda bounded forwards to explain that it was a meeting, a tactical meeting, for volleyball, not slaughter! Kiyoko snickered under her breath, joining onto the back of the group, just behind Noya and Hinata.

When they reached the gymnasium, she hung back from the meeting to put everyone’s bags in a neat line near the door. She listened as Ukai spoke of beer, the freak quick, and Seijou already knowing their tricks. 

She nodded in agreement that their offense was stronger, and worried over Oikawa’s serves controlling the pace of the game, and felt a surge of pride when Ukai mentioned that they wouldn’t be using the middle blockers to receive the serves. That had been one of her suggestions. What she wasn’t expecting was Tsukishima’s listless chime of ‘Kay, and Hinata’s empty – almost upset – “okay”, dragged out in a low voice.

“Hey, don’t get so bummed out. We’re just dividing up the work.” There was a brief pause before Ukai straightened back up with a noise of thought from the back of his throat.

“Oh, also, you guys saw Seijou and thought _‘Oh crap. They’re strong.’_ , right? But... If you were seeing our match against Dateko from the stands, you’d hesitate, saying _‘What’s with that blocking? Talk about scary. We can’t win’_ , right?” The Coach smiled, his face shadowing over with determination.

“But you fought them, and you won. Tomorrow will be the same.” Open mouths and wide eyes met his sentence, until Hinata’s smile grew and his eyes glittered with excitement at the looming challenge. He jumped into the air, arms and legs out to the side like a starfish, and Kiyoko’s giggle at watching him was lost under the shout of “All right!”, as the boys broke into inspired exhilaration.

“Okay, let’s go over the formations one more time.”

“Osu!” The team moved back onto the court, positioning themselves in their places. Daichi looked over to Kiyoko for agreement, and she nodded. 

“Alright, rotate!” Everyone moved around one space. Now, Hinata was in setter position, Tanaka was in middle blocker position, and Asahi had come forwards into the front wing spiker position. 

“One, two, three.” As if the ball had just gone over the net, they swapped back to their original places, Asahi just behind the back line and Tanaka in front of him. Hinata was back in the middle and Kageyama stepped forwards from the serve line to the setter position. In this manner, they continued with the rotations, until they had completed a full circle. 

Ukai had watched the last few rotations and appeared to be content.

“All right. Make sure you’re not late tomorrow.”

“Right!” The bags Kiyoko had neatly lined up were taken by their owners, exiting the gymnasium at once. Kageyama was the first out, not even waiting for Hinata who flailed and tripped over an untied shoelace.

“G-Gwaah!” He sat himself up on the concrete, looking up at the steps into the gymnasium. He blinked as the door opened and light poured out. Kiyoko blinked down at him, looking angelic with the light behind her. 

“Hinata?”

“K-Kiyoko-san!” He fumbled and flailed against, moving to sit on his knees and ready to bow in apology for creating a ruckus. But before he could, a light, amused laugh leapt forth from the manager. She placed her own bag and clipboard aside, crouching down in front of him and gesturing for him to extend his leg out. 

Blushing, his hair practically glowing along with his cheeks, Hinata did so. He watched as she tied his laces with a gentle, elegant hand.

“You should take more care of your legs. If you get a sprain, you won’t be able to play in the matches.”

“I- I won’t sprain! I’m tough!” Her eyes crinkled with a soft smile.

“You certainly are.” Laces tied, he opened his mouth to say thank you and noticed her glance was fixed on Kageyama’s back before he turned a corner.

“Hinata... You and Kageyama are close friends, yes?”

“I- I guess so?”

“I think something is bothering him. Something about tomorrow. About Oikawa.” Hinata bit his lip guiltily. He hadn’t even noticed.

“Wh-What can I do?” With a soft smile, she reached out and put her hands on Hinata’s cheeks, lifting his head to look into her kind eyes. 

“Make sure Kageyama’s okay.” Hinata inhaled sharply, nodded, and then tore off round the corner.

Kiyoko could only hope that Hinata was able to pull Kageyama out of his slump. But then, she never really had a doubt. They would be okay.

They would be focused, enthusiastic, and determined. They would win this and make the nationals.

She never had a single doubt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come shout headcanons at me on tumblr!
> 
> ( https://www.tumblr.com/blog/russiansunflower3 )


	6. You did your best.

Somewhere along the way, things went awry. The twisted reality was that despite all their hard practices, despite the many victories they had gained, despite the friendships and trust and teamwork gained...  
All it ended with was “You did your best”.

The final set. The scores increasing and climbing and both teams gaining one by one and neither Aobajosai or Karasuno yielding, refusing to give their win to each other, gathering points steadily until they were battling in the 30’s, and one single point would change everything. 

One serve could steal the ticket to the quarterfinal. One spike could leave disappointment on one side and elation on the other. One second, where the ball touched the floor, would spell the end of the tournament, for one of the teams.

Six people to make it happen, but only one chance.

Kiyoko gripped onto her score sheet tightly, crumpling the paper and forgetting to keep record of who scored with what move, too anxious to look away and under too much pressure to do anything than internally beg _Please, please, please,_ for Karasuno to win.

3rd set.

31 – 31.

The players on the court exhausted and hunched over breathing heavily and dripping with sweat, but a fire in their eyes and determination in their hearts and _**refusing**_ to give in. They all wanted to fight Shiratorizawa. They all wanted to go to nationals. 

They all were exhausted and aching and their endurance was running out. They were worn down, physically and mentally. Attacks were getting simpler, receives were less accurate, spikes were losing power... And yet, they fought on equal footing.

One point at a time. A break then a deuce then a break then a deuce. 

One full rotation and Oikawa’s turn to serve and Kiyoko would be lying if she said she wasn’t _terrified_ that maybe their chances were running out. She’d never had a doubt before, but maybe she should have, and maybe she should have prepared the team better for this.

The ball came over the net with such ferocity that it was almost unbelievable they were in the third set and 31 points in. Daichi received it, but the velocity of the ball rebounded it back over the net to Aobajosai and _nobody_ was in position to block when the ball went to number 13.

It was only luck that Kageyama was in the right place, that it was him who the ball hit and not the floor. It was skill that allowed him to send the ball up instead on letting it just bounce off him, and his quick reactions which directed it towards the net. A little too far, but at least it hadn’t ended right then and there.

And then again. Number 13. Like he wasn’t tired, like he wasn’t worn down, like he could carry the entire team to victory. 

Even as Hinata and Asahi jumped to block him, Kiyoko felt something churn within her gut. Aobajosai had a trump card, someone who could still play to the best of his ability, who could take every hit until his teammates had recovered their energy enough to play at full strength once more.

The block was useless. Wasted energy. A feint tipped over their fingertips, and Kageyama had to lunge forwards to get the ball with the flat of his hand, chest impacting roughly with the floor. But it missed. The ball bounced off to the side.

32 - 31. Seijou’s lead.

The sharp trill of the refs whistle really set it in for them, and as the scorekeep paper rustled as it was turned over, Kiyoko felt her entire body tense and freeze.

One point.

_One point._

One point to make a deuce, or one point to break their dreams.  
It was overwhelming from the sidelines, so Kiyoko couldn’t imagine how horrific it was on the court, until she could _see_ it happening. Kageyama, standing facing the other team, his eyes unfocused like he was looking through them and his hands trembling whilst the rest of him was slack. Confusion. Disbelief. **Betrayal?**

Hinata noticed too. Of course he would, Kageyama was his friend. He leapt in there, shouting right next to him until the setter snapped out of it.

“Hey, are you freaking out? How lame!” A split second passed before his jaw was bring tightly gripped and his cheeks smooshed by a rough hand, Kageyama grunting with annoyance. He pushed the hand away, buzzing with a nervous energy because he _had_ to bring Kageyama back to the game and he _had_ to make sure they played confidently.

The best way to do that? Jibes. The usual playful arguments, the generic phrases that would wind Kageyama up, then the reassurance that would calm him down.

“W-Well, it’s obvious that the Great King is going to be better than the King! It’s in the names! Not to mention, he seems way smarter than you!” He knew what to expect, dodging left and then ducking down to avoid the punches thrown towards him.

“Sorry, Kageyama! I’ll make sure to get the ball to you next time. Then, all you need to do is the attack you think is best.” Blue eyes widened and Hinata thought that everything was heading in the right direction but it wasn’t over yet. There was still a deep panic rooted beneath Kageyama’s skin. However, before he got the chance to say anything-

“Kageyama! Stop hesitating! Everyone on our team is...” Suga stopped, grinning as he put his hands on his hips and Kageyama glimpsed around at the players on the side, the players on the court, and the middle blocker next to him who would always be there to hit the balls he set. He knew exactly what Sugawara was trying to say.

“... Strong. As they should be.” Hinata beamed as he waited on court for Kageyama to return to his position. They were back in business! Scarily focused, ready to devour the opponents, ready to win this with the strong team they absolutely were. Hinata felt his veins heat up in excitement, his pulse and heart rate pumping with adrenaline, his feet itching to leave the ground and his palm hungering for the heavy weight of a ball leaving his hand.

As Oikawa lined up to serve once more, Hinata spared a glance towards the bench Kiyoko sat on. She was looking straight at him, brows furrowed and lips pressed together tightly, nostrils flared as she took a deep exhale. Catching each other’s eyes, they nodded.

_“You can do this.”_

_“I’ve got this.”_

That was the final surge of confidence Hinata needed to return back to the game with the intent of surpassing every hit he had ever made. Everything else went past like a blur, like clockwork. 

Daichi receiving and Kageyama setting to the centre, Asahi spiking and the ball returning from the other side of the net, impacting Tanaka and coming closer and- _Jump!_ Hinata put all his effort into attempting to block, trying to reach to joust, but number 12 was too tall and reached the apex of the jump quicker, sending the ball down down down-

Nishinoya. Where the ball went, Nishinoya was there and the ball went up, in perfect position on the backline for Kageyama to set and something in Hinata screamed with instinct that this ball was _HIS_. That his quick was the best attack Kageyama thought possible.

He screwed his eyes tightly shut and swung his arm down with all the force he could muster, a strained sound of exertion escaping as he threw all his weight, his entire body, into this single spike – the spike that would take them to deuce and then on to glory and -! 

_Bt-oom_. That wasn’t the sound of the ball on the opponent’s court. 

_Air brushing past his ear._ That wasn’t the ball going over the net.

_Eyes widening and realisation setting in._ That... That was going too fast to be recovered.

_Pam-num._ That was the ball impacting the floor behind him, on his court, before anyone could reach it.

That was the sound of defeat.

That was the crushing sound of everything they had worked towards, all the training they had done, all the tactics they had worked out and the formations they’d created... All their special attacks and combinations... Everything, just... 

The score sheet turned.

33 – 31.

_Everything had been obliterated._

Hinata fell to his knees to the sound of the audience cheering for Aobajosai, to the shouts of joy from the team themselves, celebrating their win into the quarterfinals.

What had once been fire in his veins was now ice. What had once been hope was now despair. What had once been the thrill of the tournament was now the numb understanding that it was over. _Over. **Over.**_

There was nothing he could do about it. He was shell-shocked and horrified and - _That was my fault._

“Hinata, Kageyama, we need to line up.” The deep voice had him lift his head, turning it slowly as his skin quivered and he shivered because he had _lost them the game._

“Captain, I’m sor-”

“That wasn’t a mistake. It wasn’t a mistake, so don’t apologise.” He stood. Somehow. He didn’t know. Everything was- Everything was blurry like there was water in his eyes and his brain felt so _slow_ because all he could think was ‘We lost’. 

Line up. Bow. Shake hands. _Don’t cry._ Line up again. Bow. Thank the audience. _Don’t cry._ Round up. Listen to Coach. _Don’t cry_. Tanaka’s hand resting on his back. _Don’t cry._ He stuttered and drew in a breath, aware of Kageyama next to him and his voice quiet.

“Hey, that last block...” He couldn’t form the words. He swallowed down the lump in his throat to try again, but then there was ruckus in the background – another team entering, bright spirits and happy faces – and he knew it was over for good.

“We need to clear out immediately. The next teams warm up is starting. We’ll start our cool down upstairs or outside.” Cold ice washed over him as he watched Aobajosai preparing for their next match, and he dragged his feet out the gymnasium on autopilot.

The cool down was just mirroring the captain’s movements, not focusing. He was too fixed on... On that last block. They’d known, hadn’t they? They _knew_ it was going to be him, before he had known himself. They’d worked it out, long before Hinata’s instincts had told him to _swing down as hard as you can!_

He didn’t even notice the soft brush of fingers against his shoulder as the cool down ended, Kiyoko having supervised to make sure everyone did the correct stretches. After watching them until halfway through, she left, brushing her hand over Hinata’s shoulders in a silent gesture to try and help him hold on a little longer. She knew it had been futile when he didn’t react, and instead headed into the building.

Their bags were still in the hallway, after all, and it was the manager’s job to organise them. To place them on the minibus. To support the team with small actions that had big consequences. She was a manager. It was her job. 

With the bags loaded, she returned to one of the meeting rooms. She’d expected the meeting to have progressed by now, but Kiyoko could immediately see that Tanaka and Noya had only just entered, and the first year freak duo was nowhere to be seen. Worried, she turned to Takeda.

“Hinata and Kageyama aren’t back yet. Should I...?” _Should I go and look for them?_ She was slightly apprehensive because she knew they were probably in a bad state, despondent or possibly angry. Takeda clocked onto what she was asking and smiled gently.

“I’ll go.”

“Thank you, sensei.” She sat in the red cushioned chair, twirling a strand of hair around her finger and occasionally tugging. A minute seemed like an hour. The ten minutes it took for Takeda to return, with Hinata and Kageyama in tow, felt more like a _day_. 

The second the door opened, she stood from her seat and breathed out in relief. Both of them were in one piece, and they looked much stronger than before, like they’d calmly accepted the defeat. Now, there were only the internal battles to win, doubts and blame that struck an individual when there was no one around for them to pretend to be strong for.

She just never expected to encounter it herself. 

The minibus had gotten them home safely, silent with heavy thought and regret for the failures, the mistakes they made. Maybe it was a flubbed serve, or a dodgy receive, or not conserving energy until the end of the match. Everyone blamed themselves for something, and everyone fought back the monsters in their mind that said _“It was all your fault.” _

When Karasuno departed off the minibus and decided to forgo the meeting in favour of getting home, Kiyoko made sure to hug her fellow third years, pat the second years on the back solidly, and place a gentle hand on each of the first year’s shoulders. It wasn’t much. It wouldn’t help a huge amount. But it was there, and supportive.

It let them know, that even though they were going home in different directions, they weren’t alone.

Kiyoko sighed heavily, sticking around until the last person, Asahi finally departed. He’d been having a little cry in the clubroom, and Kiyoko thought it would be cruel to just abandon him like. Speaking quietly together, she walked him to the school gate. There, they parted ways, the Ace still snivelling, but decently calmed. Asahi went right, thanking her for her hard work and support, Kiyoko went left, telling him it had been a good game.

Since the sky was dark and the streetlights glowing a soft blue, it was easy for Kiyoko to relax and lose a little bit of tension. There was guilt laying down upon her shoulders, wishing she could have helped the team more – learnt things faster, come up with new theoretical combinations, verbally cheered them on... 

But nothing could change what had happened and her vision blurred as a single silent tear rolled down her cheek. Pushing her glasses up and brushing her fingers against the tear duct, she thought she heard a sob, even though she hadn’t felt it well up inside her and break out.

Her chests felt constricted, but not to the point where it had been Kiyoko who choked out the strangled cry. 

Which meant, someone else was nearby. 

She scrambled into her bag, grabbing a small torch on the end of her keychain and holding down the button. There was no-one in sight. But... There was a discarded bicycle half poking out the hedge.

A small, red bicycle.

A loud gasp tore itself from her throat, dropping her keychain and torch as she jogged the last few steps towards the metal frame and knelt down to check if it had a water bottle holder attached to the back, just under the seat. It did. She instantly recognised it.

Hinata’s bike! But then, where was the boy?

“H-Hinata?!” Another choked, strangled cry. It was coming from behind the hedge, where a small ditch was located. Kiyoko crawled forwards on her knees, pushing branches out of the way to reveal Hinata lying in the ditch, head in his hands and crying, trying to hold back from making noise. Most likely, he’d fallen off his bike, and once he started crying, couldn’t stop.

“Hinata...” Expression softened and touched with sadness, Kiyoko pushed her way through the hedge, ignoring the way the twigs tugged at her clothes and scratched her skin. She knelt down next to Hinata and gently tugged him up so that his head was in her lap instead of on the cold hard ground. One hand rubbed his back slowly, the other brushed through his hair, dislodging leaves and dirt.

“It’s okay, it’s okay...” A half garbled whine tore itself from Hinata, wiping away the incessant tears streaking down his face and wincing as he roughly rubbed over a graze. He hiccupped and swallowed at the same time, resulting in a choke that had Kiyoko sympathetically pat his back until he could breathe again, still cloaked in distress.

“I- I didn’t- I couldn’t w- _win_... I let everyone down! I let _you_ down... I’m so sorry...” 

“You never let anyone down, Hinata-kun. You played to the best of your ability, you truly did us proud. You – and the rest of the team – proved that Karasuno still has wings.” Hinata snivelled, sitting up and looking at her through pitiful, watery eyes. 

“You really think so?” His voice was unusually small and timid, but Kiyoko only smiled reassuringly and nodded.

“It was amazing to watch. I almost thought you were _flying_ , you were incredible.” A small, wobbly smile appeared on Hinata’s face.

“Thank you, Kiyoko!” It took him four seconds, and a glimpse of Kiyoko’s blushing cheeks to realise he had dropped the honorific. 

“U-Uh. Sorry! I meant-!” A hand covered his mouth, fingers gently pressed to his lips and he blinked with wide eyes. The corners of Kiyoko’s eyes crinkled and a strand of hair fell from behind her ear as she tilted her head to the side with a toothy grin.

“I like it, Hinata~. I think we’re close enough to drop the formalities.”

“We- We are?” Her grey-blue eyes glinted with mischief.

“Well, you _have_ seen me in my nightgown.” With a squawk, Hinata burst into a heavy blush, his hair glowing along with his cheeks. Kiyoko laughed, pushing herself to her feet and offering him a hand up, which he gratefully took. She frowned at his grazed knees.

“You’re hurt.”

“Yeah, I kind of... Fell off my bike?”

“I figured that. Do you have far to go?”

“Umm... Yeah... I have to get over the mountains.” Kiyoko’s eyebrows furrowed and her lips pursed.

“You can’t do that injured. Can anyone pick you up?” Hinata shook his head, following her out through the hedge again and picking up his bike.

“I’ve cycled with worse than cut knees! I broke my leg once, and Koji called me an idiot, but I proved I could do it anyways!” Exasperation and disbelief didn’t even _begin_ to explain the expression that flashed across Kiyoko’s face. 

“I- I see... Then, do you have your phone on you?” She held a hand out and Hinata curiously passed his phone over. For a minute, Kiyoko tapped away on the buttons, before passing it back open. The screen displayed his phonebook.

_New Contact; Shimizu Kiyoko._ , followed by her number.

“Call me when you get home safely.”

“Y-Yes Kiyoko!” She paused for a moment with a shy little shuffle, before reaching out and placing a hand on Hinata’s cheek. Hinata blinked, unsure of what she was doing, and then soft pink lips were pressed against his cheek and he could smell her perfume, feel the warmth of her skin, and hear her heart pounding, just as his started to. All too quickly, she pulled away.

“I- I’m sorry, I should have asked, I just-... I like you Hinata.”Hinata slowly lifted his hand to cover his cheek in disbelief.

“You li-like me?”

“Yes.”

“R-really like me?”

“I really like you.” There was a pause of silence, tense and anticipatory. 

“I- I like you too!” The world stopped spinning, slowing down for a minute as Kiyoko took it in, and then she felt on top of the stars, smiling brightly.

“I’m glad~.” Slowly, they moved their heads closer, noses brushing, until Hinata jolted back with a heavy blush.

“S-Sorry! I- I’m not ready! We shouldn’t k-k-kiss yet!” Kiyoko watched him fluster, a small laugh echoing in the cool night air.

“It’s okay, Hinata~. I’ll wait until you’re ready.” The thought of being liked back, of one day being _kissed_ by the beautiful, compassionate manager, had Hinata gulp and nod. He swung a leg over his bike, ready to cycle back home.

“Th- Thank you for helping me.”

“You’re welcome. And Hinata?” He paused with one foot on the peddle, looking over his shoulder. Kiyoko stood in the soft blue light of a streetlight, a twig in her hair and dirt on her knees, but a tender smile on her face. Hinata had never found her so beautiful. She softened her expression, shoulders relaxing.

“I’m proud of you. You did your best.” His lips wobbled, his eyes watered, and his face felt tighter, hands trembling around the handles of his bike. He couldn’t speak. Couldn’t get the words out. So instead, he bowed as low as he could before sitting back up straight.

_‘Thank you’._ Kiyoko watched him cycle away, eyes never leaving his back until he disappeared from view into the night. 

It had started with “I’m counting on you”, her crush, that is. And maybe, she speculated, that may have been around the time he started crushing on her too.   
It had ended with “You did your best”, when they connected in heart and soul and knew that perhaps, things would be okay as long as they had their friends, their hopes, and each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter!
> 
> If you liked, (or even if you didn't), please come shout at me on tumblr!  
> https://www.tumblr.com/blog/russiansunflower3


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